AIR BAGS:SENSOR:OCCUPANT CLASSIFICATION:FRONT PASSENGER
What Happened
Kia America, Inc (Kia) is recalling certain 2025-2026 EV9 vehicles. Due to improper routing, the Occupant Detection System (ODS) may not deactivate the air bag when a child or child seat is in the front passenger seat. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 208, "Occupant Crash Protection."
Risk if Unfixed
A child in the front seat may be at a greater risk of injury if the air bag deploys during a crash.
How to Get This Fixed
Free Fix
Dealers will inspect and replace the ODS mat and bladder tube with a new one and ensure proper routing as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters will be mailed beginning October 20, 2026. Owners may contact Kia Customer Service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC379. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall will become searchable on NHTSA.gov on September 4, 2026.
Show original NHTSA language
What happened
Kia America, Inc (Kia) is recalling certain 2025-2026 EV9 vehicles. Due to improper routing, the Occupant Detection System (ODS) may not deactivate the air bag when a child or child seat is in the front passenger seat. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 208, "Occupant Crash Protection."
Risk if unfixed
A child in the front seat may be at a greater risk of injury if the air bag deploys during a crash.
Remedy
Dealers will inspect and replace the ODS mat and bladder tube with a new one and ensure proper routing as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters will be mailed beginning October 20, 2026. Owners may contact Kia Customer Service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC379. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall will become searchable on NHTSA.gov on September 4, 2026.
This page lists the models and model years named in NHTSA campaign #26V545000.
Matching a model and year on this list does not prove an individual vehicle is
affected — some vehicles in an affected model year are never part of the recall population.
The authoritative way to know is a VIN check against NHTSA's own records.
This model year has 1 recorded safety recall. Model-level listings do not establish VIN-specific open recalls or whether this vehicle is safe to drive. Check your VIN and contact the manufacturer for recall instructions.
What is the AIR BAGS:SENSOR:OCCUPANT CLASSIFICATION:FRONT PASSENGER recall for the 2026 KIA EV9? (Campaign #26V545000)
Kia America, Inc (Kia) is recalling certain 2025-2026 EV9 vehicles. Due to improper routing, the Occupant Detection System (ODS) may not deactivate the air bag when a child or child seat is in the front passenger seat. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 208, "Occupant Crash Protection." A child in the front seat may be at a greater risk of injury if the air bag deploys during a crash. Dealers will inspect and replace the ODS mat and bladder tube with a new one and ensure proper routing as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters will be mailed beginning October 20, 2026. Owners may contact Kia Customer Service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC379. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall will become searchable on NHTSA.gov on September 4, 2026.